By Timothy J. Stewart CD

Regimental Historian

Happy belated birthday to The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Own) which turned 100-years-old on September 1.

The Regiment is headquartered at Captain Hutcheson VC Armoury on Birmingham Street. Its founding  Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Harboyttle had brought the 75^th (Mississauga) Battalion, the predecessor to the Toronto Scottish home from the Great War in 1919 and requested the 75^th Battalion be given wartime service and become a permanent unit in the post-war militia.

In May 1920 the Militia Dept., authorized the forming of the Mississauga Regiment to carry on the traditions of the 75^th Battalion. The Mississauga Regiment was re-designated The Toronto Scottish Regiment on September 1, 1921 at Lieutenant-Colonel Harbottle’s request because he felt Toronto had a large enough “Scottish” population to support two regiments, the other being the 48^th Highlanders.

Harbottle sought and was granted affiliation with the London Scottish Regiment in England and adopted its distinctive uniform cloth of Hodden Grey in 1937 by Her Colonel-in-Chief on May 22, 1939, during the Royal Tour of Canada.

Her Majesty presented Regimental Colours (flags) to her regiment on the campus of the University of Toronto.

The Regiment was mobilized again on September 1, 1939, for war service and was one of the very first Canadian regiments to arrive in the United Kingdom prior to Christmas 1939. On April 21, 1940, the Regiment had the honour of mounting the King’s Guard at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth visited her Regiment on three more occasions during the war.

The Toronto Scottish Regiment was designated a machine-gun support battalion and because of its specialized role. A detachment took part in the raid on Dieppe, August 19, 1942, and following D-Day, June 6, 1944, until the ceasefire on May 7, 1945, the Toronto Scottish provided fire support for every action involving the 2^nd Canadian Division and for other formations in the First Canadian Army.

That support included 36 medium machine guns and 16 awarded from the Great War. The active battalion of the Regiment was disbanded in December 19454, having reverted once again to an infantry militia battalion.

Following the war, Her Majesty visited her Regiment again six times, and again in 1989 on the 50^th anniversary of her first visit.

Today, the Toronto Scottish is an army reserve unit that augments the regular force. Since World War II, members have served with the UN’s army in Korea and UN peacekeeping and NATO forces in Cambodia, Bosnia, Croatia, West Germany, Cyprus, Golan Heights and many other countries.

Domestically, officers and soldiers of the Regiment have been called to assist local authorities in the clean-up following Hurricane Hazel that rocked Etobicoke in 1954, the Winnipeg flood of 1997, The Eastern Ontario and Quebec ice story of 1998 and snowstorm that crippled Toronto in 1999 to name a few.

A contingent from the Regiment and Regimental family in 2000 participated in The Queen Mother’s 100^th birthday in London, unveiled a plaque in Dieppe, France, and a monument in Caen, Normandy to commemorate its World War II battalion.

With the passing of our beloved Colonel-in-Chief in April 2002, His Royal Highness, Charles, Prince of Wales, was asked to accept the position of Colonel-in-Chief.

His Royal Highness Prince Edward on behalf of his brother Prince Charles visited in 2015 and in a special ceremony presented the Battle Honour Afghanistan to the Regiment. More than 60 Tor Scots served in Afghanistan.

Two years later, the Regiment was given a Direct Fire Support Tasking and is currently training soldiers on the .50 calibre machine gun, C16 grenade launcher and the TOW missile system all in preparation to deploy a platoon overseas when called upon.

For several months in 2020, members of the Toronto Scottish along with thousands of Armed Forces personnel across Canada were called on to assist in COVID-19 relief efforts. Under the operational name “Laser” Tor Scots found themselves in Ontario Long Term Care facilities assisting with custodial duties such as cleaning, washing, scrubbing and sanitizing.

Regimental fatalities through both world wars in the 20^th century number more than 1,000, with another 3,000 plus wounded in body and mind. The motto of the Toronto Scottish regiment is CARRY ON and it will continue to do so as it moves into its second century of service to Canada.

A plaque of Etobicoke war hero and Victoria Cross recipient George Topham stood for many years outside the former Etobicoke Civic Centre.

Corporal Topham, 27, was a Medical Orderly in the Canadian Army’s 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion from 1942 to 1945 during the Second World War when he watched two colleagues shot to death by enemy fire while saving a man in the battlefield. He promptly jumped in to save the soldiers.

Topham’s battalion gained the distinction of being the only Canadian Army unit to fight in the battle. During Operation Varsity, the Western Allies‘ attempted to cross the River Rhine on March 24, 1945, and encountered heavy enemy fire as they took casualties.

“Corporal Topham went forward through intense fire to replace the orderlies who had been killed before his eyes,” according to military records. “As he worked on the wounded man, he was himself shot through the nose.”

Despite ‘severe bleeding and intense pain, he never faltered in his task,” the military wrote. “He carried the wounded man steadily and slowly back through continuous fire.”

As if that was not enough. While returning to his company, he saved three men by rescuing them from a burning carrier that was in danger of exploding.

 

The carrier had taken a direct hit and enemy mortar bombs were still dropping. The vehicle was burning fiercely and its own mortar ammunition was exploding. An experienced officer on the spot had warned all not to approach the carrier.

Topham went out alone in spite of the blasting ammunition and enemy fire, and rescued the three occupants of the carrier. One man died. He brought them back and arranged for their evacuation.

For six hours Topham refused medical help for his wound and worked hard to bring in wounded, showing complete disregard for the heavy and accurate enemy fire. It was only when all casualties had been cleared that he consented to his own wound being treated.

For his exceptional and courageous deeds, Topham was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for valor in the British Commonwealth.

“This N.C.O. showed sustained gallantry of the highest order,” according to the Victoria Cross. “For six hours, most of the time in great pain, he performed a series of acts of outstanding bravery and his magnificent and selfless courage inspired all those who witnessed it.”

Topham’s heroism was celebrated with a parade and civic reception in Toronto on August 8, 1945; one hundred members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion served as a guard of honour.

After the war in November 10, 1945, the war hero laid the cornerstone of the new Sunnybrook Memorial Hospital for Veterans. He served briefly as a Constable with the Toronto Police Department before a career with Toronto Hydro.

He died on May 31, 1974 from a heart attack, and is buried at Etobicoke’s Sanctuary Park Cemetery.

The Ontario Heritage Foundation erected a plaque at the Civic Centre in 1980 commemorating Corporal Topham, V.C. This plaque has since been erected outside Runnymede College Institute.

A park near St. Clair Avenue East and O’Connor Drive was named for Topham. It features three ball diamonds, two lit tennis courts, a wading pool, a children’s playground and the Topham Park Community Centre and Clubhouse.

 

More South Etobicoke business owners are complaining that they cannot be held responsible for screening their customers for proof of vaccinations before they are allowed into their premises.

The owners say many of their customers are local residents who have been frequenting their businesses for years.

“How do I now tell this customer that I can’t allow them in my restaurant,” asks the owner of a schnitzel restaurant in Alderwood. “We have been waiting for more customers for a long time. Now we have to tell them they cannot come in.”

She insists the long-time customer, who may not have two shots or require paperwork, will never return to her business for being turned away due to vaccination checks.

The owner of Dakota’s Bar and Grill, on Lake Shore Blvd. W., says her business has dipped as much as 50% since the proof of vaccinations began.

“Many people do not have the double shots and are not coming in or are going elsewhere,” she says. “We are suffering.”

Many ‘mom and pop’ store owners say they cannot afford to hire someone to conduct the checks, since the vaccine proof of verification can appear on a printed form, on e-mail, digital or versions that can be scanned to show if a customer has had two shots.

Some angry merchants even told me flat out that they will not be asking for a proof of vaccination from some customers.

Sure, the owners are responsible area residents, who know the dangers of COVID-19 and do not want to get their customers sick. They claim to have suffered long enough.

They believe that the Ontario government have passed their enforcement efforts to the small and medium sized businesses, without proper training or communication.

Even the local Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Association (BIA) said there’s been many concerns from local businesses.

“I think there should be better communication between the province and local businesses,” said Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, Chair of the board of the BIA. “Many of our members have concerns about a lack training.”

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said businesses are ‘divided on the contentious issue of vaccination credentials for entry into businesses.’

The announcement “leaves many concerns and unanswered questions for small business owners. How will enforcement work? Who is responsible in the event of a fraud? What is included under “youth recreational sport,” asks the CFIB.

“Will training be provided for businesses that have to check vaccine credentials? How are businesses supposed to recognize out-of-province and out-of-country vaccinations? Is there iron-clad protection for businesses against potential human rights challenges and costly lawsuits?”

“It is disappointing that the government is adding additional requirements without first removing the remaining capacity restrictions,” the federation said in a release. Capacity for most of the businesses affected is up to 50 people.

This adds an additional burden on these businesses and their employees. “They need to know when they will be able to begin their recoveries,” the CFIB wrote. “The Ontario government needs to provide more funding and a plan for allowing them to get back to 100 per cent capacity.”

They are calling on the province to provide financial support to aid businesses in their new role as vaccination screeners, which may require additional staff, training and technology to ensure full compliance with the new rules.

Customers are required to show proof of vaccination to enter: restaurants or bars to dine, casinos, bingo halls, businesses that provide teaching and instruction, strip clubs, bathhouses, meeting event space, conference halls, trade shows, personal care, fitness trainers and more. Visit https://www.cfib-fcei.ca

The CFIB is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 95,000 members across every industry and region, including 38,000 in Ontario.

Tom Godfrey is Publisher of The South Etobicoke News and a long-time community resident. He is a former Reporter at the Toronto Sun for many years before deciding to use his skills to work in community journalism.

 

What Mask do you Choose?

From the beginning of mankind, we have been known to wear a façade, a mask, to adopt a character. Throughout history, we can see, that men/women choose to don a mask to grow into their world. Would you agree or disagree?

This October, we’re honouring everything Halloween, everything it represents. Not just the modern day costume and the sharing of our bounty in the form of candy and treats, but also the older, the ancient traditions of masquerades, balls, acting, the players we invite into our lives.

For humanity to grow together and for our society to function, we readily take on rules in our lives. Many of us willingly take on personas to expand into new roles, but some of us adopt a cover to survive. Some masks can be healthy, stabilizing and create supportive roles for us: like being a motherly figure or a father figure, or the ‘strong one’ in the family. Perhaps, we accept a role or a mask to help cover who we truly are early on in our life, because we must. It can be an effective protection tool and serves to hide us from danger.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing anyone?

Now we find ourselves in the middle of (still in the middle but hopefully towards the last end) of a modern pandemic — where physical masks are mandatory.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but over the last three, four or even more years there’s been this collective outcry of wanting to know the truth and revealing the truth, showing our true selves. The demand for truth, or unmasking if you will, has been prevalent in government bodies, international household name brands, large businesses and even popular icons, from all industries. At least on social media, this has been the modern rhetoric and the go to messaging.

Perhaps in the middle of all this mask wearing we are now being pushed one more step, even further along, to realizing how debilitating and uncomfortable and confining masks are in our lives.

I invite you to think about the idea that wearing a mask is not the problem or the challenge. What seems to be quite clear in our modern life and has been true for thousands of years is the freedom to choose. I realize this is a polarizing issue but stop for a moment. Stop and breathe and just read that over again.  What I’m seeing out here is that over the thousands of years, whenever we have had the choice to put on a mask, the experience was very different than when we were forced to wear a mask whether it be a physical mask as a warrior or during modern pandemic times or a figurative mask to protect our feelings to protect our role in our family or in our society. When we feel we can choose, we readily adopt a mask for fun, for power, for entertainment…Have you noticed this?

It feels that the healing message for this month and for the coming years ahead could very well be that we must practice choosing with responsibility. Also, that we practice growing strong and balanced so that we are able and READY to choose responsibly. With freedom comes responsibility – and with great responsibility great comes power.

‘With freedom comes responsibility – and with great responsibility great comes power.’

[come on you know I had to quote Spiderman, 1962, on the great eve of Hallowed Eve, the Costume Olympics of the year!]  (( for research fun, see if you can find out exactly where that quote came from and how it was used in the comic, hint: who said it?)

For the month of October, your challenge, if you choose to accept, it is to examine the masks you wear. Not just the one on your face to go shopping this fall, though they are quite fun and interesting to wear. No, take time to have a look at how you present yourself to the world and even to yourself in the mirror. Take pause and write down or meditate on the visage or masks that have served you well and the ones that have let you down. As the energy of the season urges us to gather, harvest, slow down and put away and store our resources, this is a wonderful exercise to harness strength and stock nourishment in our body mind and spirit.

As we fall into fall, let us enjoy Thanksgiving and Halloween. Welcome all the joys and fun this season is meant to bring and also allow time to discover how we truly wish to see ourselves and show  ourselves of the world.

True?

“Most of us remain strangers to ourselves, hiding who we are, and ask other strangers, hiding who they are, to love us.”  —Leo Buscaglia

Monika Meulman, Founder & Owner
The Healing Muse
416-347-5449
The Healing Muse Apothecary
Inspired Living
@healingmuse
www.healingmuse.com

 

 

 

 

Where are all the women interested in Women’s Rights?

Last month I challenged you with an experiment as to who makes the best Juror for a female victim’s sexual assault trial.  The result was interesting.  Only men responded.  I know I have a fair readership. It’s a reasonable inference that there are a few women readers out there.

I was surprised by their lack of response. There are three possibilities. Women are too shy to express an opinion. I cannot believe that. My wife, like many women, readily shares a variety of opinions ranging from the business pages, Indigenous grievances to my neatness and picking up my sock

Embarrassment is not an option. I destroy all names and won’t use them in any articles to cause concern unless you ask otherwise. Also, remember I am retired so I have no powers of contempt for defiance or ability to over-rule a disagreement.  I want to debate ideas. Your opinions are important. I encourage suggestions for topics. Write and list topics for future discussions. The last possibility here and the most frightening is where women don’t see these issues as significant. Please don’t disappoint my belief in the feminist movement.

I have two young grand-daughters. I feel if more women were in power, compromise over tribalism would prevail.  As a result, I will postpone my results one more month hoping some women will take up my challenge before I explain the experiment.

While on the topic of Women Power, let’s talk about the ’Me Too’ movement. I feel it is too limited when seen purely as feminist issue. Do not get me wrong, the matter is extremely important but has a wider scope  related to power abuse – a person of  power taking advantage of someone with less power who cannot protest.  It is  seen as a significant women’s issue because in the workplace women still hold most of the inferior positions  lacking equality.

This issue of power abuse, too a much lesser extent than sexual abuse, was personal in my career as I moved from lawyer to Queens Counsel to the lead of the Criminal Law Department, while surrounded by some superiors telling me stupid Polish Jokes, like “Newfie” jokes, which ridiculed a whole population including me.  I could either stand up to the unfairness of the topic or ignore them.  To call out the comments I would identify myself as an ‘Outsider’ and hurt my chance of advancement. By being quiet and being part of the group, I would be confirming a false assumption about a group of individuals and adding to a bias.  People with power must understand their position and use it wisely.

The concept of a power imbalance is also important when we teach our children about sexual relations. We need to understand this idea of abuse of power. Parents who say sex education belongs solely to the family would be surprised at the number of persons charged or victims of sexual assaults who were never given any training on the subject.  Very few parents teach their children on this matter. It’s an “icky subject” for a parent and even more so for the child yet it is extremely important. Remember, knowledge is power.  You want your children to have the power of control.

I bet you would find it hard to explain the nature of consent to your son or daughter. In assessing ‘consent’ it must be clear to both parties that each have made an informed and free consent as equals to the relationship.  That means no power imbalance such as age, experience, alcohol, drugs, age or experience, position or even lies creating a power imbalance between two people by diminishing the power of one to give  free and informed consent. To simply assume there was consent is dangerous.

“Informed” means you understand all the consequences of your actions. That means there can be no abuse of power.  Some believe that teaching sex will advance promiscuity so they tend to keep the female ill-informed of the physical nature of sex.  In reality it encourages the tradition of male power over the female.  Actually, promiscuity is reduced by correct understanding of the topic. It amazed me as to the number of victims, some over thirty, who had difficulty in testifying didn’t even know the technical name for body parts.

For these reasons I endorse sex education and the understanding of relationships in our schools for both boys and girls if you want to generate equality and reduce power imbalances. Sex education leaves the morality to the parents and the physical sciences to the school.  How many of you agree or disagree – write me and challenge the idea.

Judge Lloyd Budzinski retired after 28 years and was a former Crown Attorney, Defence Counsel and Ontario’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Criminal Law. He was Chief Prosecutor in the trial of ex-RCMP officer Patrick Michael Kelly, found guilty of murder for throwing his wife from a 17th floor balcony in March 1981.

He can be reached at lbudzinski@talkjustice.info

If you are still searching for a COVID-vaccination, there will be a mobile vaccination unit on October 18 at Lakeshore Collegiate Institute. Right at your doorstep. And, on October 21 check out a virtual Humber Wellness Talks with keynote speaker Larissa Crawford at Humber College. There are so many other things to do at this time of the year in the community.

 

Luca Torresan and Mike Sikora have been teaching South Etobicoke children to remain active and be healthy by playing organized ball hockey.

Ball hockey has picked up in popularity as parents last season signed up their children for inexpensive outdoor activity. Many of the experienced players have now shifted to ice hockey as ball hockey wound down.

Torresan is the president of the Etobicoke Minor Ball Hockey League (EMBHL), which runs camps for 480 children, aged four to 14, to teach them the skills of playing the game and having fun.

Sikora is the vice-president of ball hockey operations.

“The first weeks are the best because the kids want to come out and play,” Torresan said in an interview recently. “The kids and their parents want to be outside and be with other kids.’

The EMBHL has been in operation for about seven years and is made up of about 30 teams from the area of all age groups. There are about 36 leagues across the province.

“Ball hockey is always among the top sports,” he said. “It does not cost as much as other sports and you don’t need a lot of expensive equipment.”

The sport is very popular with children in Etobicoke who may not have much funds for expensive hockey gear or want to keep in shape for ice hockey.

“It is the most cost effective sport now,” Torresan explained. “You do not require a lot of money to play this sport.”

He said there are mixed leagues where boys can play with girls.  “We had a great girls’ team this year,” Torresan noted. “The girls are very good.”

A player named Logan, 10, said “it was real fun to play ball hockey and to have a good time with my friends.”

“This sport satisfies my need for ice hockey in the summer,” observed Charlie, 11. “It is a great sport to keep in shape.”

The ball hockey community is pushing for their sport to be played in the Olympics to obtain more exposure and motivate more children to play the sport.

“Our main goal is to have ball hockey become an Olympic sport,” Torresan said. “We have been lobbying for the sport to be played in the Olympics and eventually

It costs about $150 for kids to take part in 10 weeks of competitive, organized play in the EMBHL. The games  take place at the Sir Adam Beck Drypad in Alderwood.

For more information visit www.embhl.ca

 

 

Its that time of the year when you can get a free tree from the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association. Register for your tree on October 8 at Colonel Samuel Smith Park, and pick them up on October 23. Its a Tree for Free. Here are some other free activities also taking place in our community.

 

 

 

 

 

Police Const. Alexander Yuanidis is really Toronto’s top cop for now.

Yuanidis was named winner of the 54 Annual Police Officer of the Year Award on September 29 for rescuing two people trapped in a home during a three-alarm blaze in Scarborough.

The 16-year veteran, who is based in 43 Division, was called to a fire call in May 2020 where residents were trapped inside a home. He saw a ‘fireball explode” on the north side of the home when he arrived.

“He went to the rear of the house where he found two people trapped on the elevated rear deck,” police said. “He took immediate action, locating a ladder from a neighbour and placed it on the raised deck.”

“He then reached over the railing and brought one of the people down the ladder,” according to police. “The older resident was unable to climb over the railing so Constable Yuanidis broke through the railing with his fists and helped the resident escape to safety.”

“He also recognized the risk to neighbouring homes and worked to evacuate all nearby residents from their homes,” said Master of Ceremony Catherine McDonald, of Global News.

Yuanidis was awarded for taking a calculated risk, acting decisively and bravely, while putting his personal safety at risk in order to save others.

“I think that night was a set of very fortunate circumstances, that I was so close, I knew the area, but anyone in my situation would have done the same thing,” he told a police appreciation dinner.

“It’s a huge honour,” said Yuanidis, who was quick to point out his fellow officers perform acts of heroism on a daily basis in the city.

“Our family owes Officer Alex a great debt because he saved the patriarch of the family with three children, their partners and eight grandchildren,” said a family member who was part of the fire ordeal.

Created in 1967, the purpose of the event is to recognize officers of the Toronto Police Service who have made significant contributions to making Toronto one of the safest big cities in the world. An average of 12 officers, or a group of officers, are selected for the Police Officer Excellence Awards, based on the criteria of bravery, humanitarianism, superior investigative work and outstanding police skills.

The Police Officer of the Year Award is selected from these groups.

Mimico artist Fernando Ferreira has more than 400 beautiful pieces of art that he painted to enlighten hard-hit seniors sitting in stacks in his apartment.

He is having a hard time obtaining help from area politicians to help distribute his abstract artworks to the more than 700 homes for seniors in Ontario.

The former 30-year TTC driver is still out in his lakeside studio on most days trying to complete 1,001 pieces of art for the 721 long term homes in Ontario.

The art is painted on two feet square boards, is original and contains a heart and love. They come in bright, upbeat colours that helps people celebrate. He hopes to be finished by next June.

“This is a project of love to help lift our seniors,” Ferreira said. “All the paintings are bright, upbeat and are meant to help them in these challenging times.”

He has not received replies for requests for help from most area politicians, except for the office of PC Christine Hogarth.

“I still have a couple more hundred pieces to create for the seniors,” Ferreira said. “Every long care home will have one.”

He is receiving support from the community and requests to sell some of his works has been refused. The artist estimates it has cost him about $1,000 so far on wood, paints and other materials.

“This art is meant to brighten the lives of our seniors. It is free and not to be sold to anyone,” he vowed.

He hopes to have the pieces of art hanging proudly in all seniors’ residences, many which have been hit hard with COVID-19.

The artist has four stacks of his works in his one bedroom Mimico Estates apartment and needs a hand to get them into long term care homes across Ontario.

His work is described as “simple and upbeat.”

“Every painting has a heart and they contain so much love,” according to reviews.

Ferreira, who is from the Azores, loves painting and artwork. His father was a noted paint chemist and at home “is where I learned to mix paints.”

In the 1960s when he first arrived in Canada he sold similar paintings to people in Toronto’s upscale Yorkville area and was able to save $5,000 in three years to make a deposit on a house.

He has been living in Mimico for about 17 years and moved here for the lake, fresh air and beautiful trip by TTC to downtown Toronto.

Ferreira can be reached for artwork or donations at 647-855-0721.